Risk Assessment for Orienteering

Risk assessments are concerned with identifying the hazards (i.e. things which might go wrong or cause an accident/injury), evaluating the likelihood of a particular event occurring (i.e. level of risk) and putting measures in place needed to reduce or eliminate the risk.

Name of Club / satellite club name / after school club
		
Name of person completing this form		Position of person completing this form (coach, organiser etc)		
Venue for session / event / activity
		Date for session / 
event / activity		
Name of person in charge of session / event / activity
		
Risk assessment signed 
		Risk assessment dated		
Risk assessment checked by (name, position and date)

	Print name
& position (coach mentor, controller etc):
		
	Sign and date:  		
 
Emergency Information

Emergency access point (for emergency vehicles)
	Post code / grid reference:
	Place from which signed:
	
Nearest A&E hospital:

	Name and Post code:
	Map available (where):
	
Working telephone:

	Landline or mobile:
If mobile (reception checked?)
	Number:
	
First Aid cover

	Name of first aider:

	Located where?

The Risk Assessment

It is essential that the mitigation column is completed in detail so that the control measures and who is responsible is fully understood in advance of the activity / session / event and that all staff / helpers are fully briefed.

NB: it is not sufficient only to put warnings in preliminary information as there is no way of being sure that all participants will have read them.

Hazard – note under these headings (see suggested examples to consider)	Possible outcome / injury including note on severity and likelihood of occurrence	Mitigation 
•	What control measure?
•	Who is responsible?	
In area to be used (indoor / outdoor):

	

	
Participants

	
Other people/activities in area

	

	
Weather

			
Equipment

			

Examples of hazards with the potential to cause harm

NB: this list is not exhaustive; nor will all these be present. It is given as an aid to the person completing the risk assessment.

Area to be used: Indoors
•	Floor surface
•	Other equipment/obstacles
•	Shared use (dining room / other activities)	Area to be used: Outdoors 
•	Uneven surfaces
•	Slopes/steps
•	Slippery surfaces
•	Tree roots/branches
•	Vegetation (prickly, stinging)
•	Wire / ruined fences
•	Walls to be climbed
•	Litter (glass, used needles)
•	Water (streams, rivers, ponds)
•	Cliffs / crags
•	Traffic (including road crossings)
•	Rail / tram lines 
•	Mineshafts / caves 
•	Military debris	Equipment:
•	Pencils in hand when running
•	Pin punches
•	Cane tops
•	Tent guys
•	Electrical equipment – cables
•	Generators
•	Cooking equipment	
Participants:
•	Clothing / shoes
•	Existing medical conditions
•	Unexpected reactions/allergies
•	Disorientation 
•	Tiredness 	Other people / activities in area:
•	Walking dogs
•	Cyclists 
•	Horse riders
•	Forestry operations
•	Park maintenance
•	Shooting / archery
•	Golf
•	Stranger danger  	Weather:
•	Cold / heat  
•	Rain / snow / hail
•	Excessive  wind 
•	Lightning